What Christmas means to me
by Kay05
Summary: In the EYN series. Liams gains more knowledge in the true meaning behind christmas. mentions third world and poverty
1. Chapter 1 Angels and a little child

Kellie Moonlight What Christmas means to me Chapter 1 

Kelly. 1- Angels and a little child 

At ten months old, Liam Fenton Hardy was at the stage where anything that made a noise caught his attention. So on Christmas Eve, the day before his first Christmas, the rustling sound that came from within his mummy and daddy's bedroom was more than a cause for investigation.

Liam crept into his parents' room and looked around curiously, colourful paper littered the floor and his daddy sat in the middle of the mound, a piece of cello-tape stuck to his trousers and another piece stuck in his dirty blonde hair, but at the sight of his crawling son he smiled "Hey baby, what's up?"

"Bah bah booboo" Liam babbled as he clambered onto his daddy's lap.

"Yeah, look at all the colours, are you going to help daddy wrap mummy's present up, then we can send it to Father Christmas, with his Angel helpers"

Liam grabbed a piece of gold wrapping paper and placed into his mouth. "No darling, not nice, tastes yucky" Joe murmured as he extracted the offending paper from his son's mouth. Liam, even at only ten months old, was showing signs that he was going to be, as Kayley, Liam's mother had put it, 'Just like Joe'.

Kayley Knight, brown-haired and with brown eyes, grinned as she grabbed her coat off the back of her chair. She laughed as Louise Carter, her red-haired and hazel-eyed friend, continued to rant about her boyfriend, one of her and Joe's best mates, Tim Thompson.

"He's being extremely secretive this year, Kay. Last year, he at least hinted, this year he won't even tell me if it's jewellery or clothes, or a C.D. I've being going out with him since I was fifteen and I'm nineteen know, Kay, his fashion hasn't changed, he'll have me wearing a brown waistcoat and a pair of jeans or something, you've seen the way he dresses."

Kayley smiled at he friend. "C'mon, I mean, Joe keeps smiling at me and hinting that he knows what Tim's got you, I think you're safe though, Joe and Jack went with Tim when he bought the present and at least the two of them together will have at least told him, Joe was brought up around fairly modern parents so you should be safe. Anyway look, there's Sammy"

Samantha Greene and Jack Ryder had been going out for four years and were best friends with Tim and Louise. Joe and Kayley had come to the gang ten months ago when they where at the hospital--Joe and Kayley had been in the waiting room after rushing Liam in when he had stopped breathing. The six of them had become a pretty tight-nit group and it was rare you saw any of the couples without the other four.

This Christmas Joe, Kayley, Liam, Jack and Sammy where going over to Tim and Louise's place to celebrate Christmas.

What they had done was split the cost of the Christmas dinner between the three couples, it was doubtful that any of them would drink any alcohol with a young child there, that and none of them where 21.

Sammy smiled at the two girls as they hugged. "How are the men then?" she asked

Kayley grinned "Joe's got a bit of a cold nothing serious and Liam is as curious as yesterday."

"Tim's being all secretive about my Christmas present, he usually hints but this time he's not said anything," said Louise.

Laughing, the three women set off to get Christmas dinner.

Joe sighed as he finished wrapping the presents for Kayley. He still had some college work to do, but that could wait, he wanted to spend some time with his son.

Glancing down at the fair-headed child, Joe had to wonder just how he had been blessed with such a child. Liam was the spitting image of himself, dirty blonde hair and sparkling sapphire blue eyes, he knew that his parents would have loved him, but still, he couldn't change the past, no matter how much he wanted.

Liam reached up and clasped his tiny hand in Joe's as he pulled himself into a standing position. Smiling, Joe watched his son and marvelled at how tiny his son was.

Liam had been premature by a month, but doctors had declared him healthy and after two days' stay, he had been released--only to be rushed back in again after five days after he stopped breathing. It was then that the doctors had found a hole in Liam's heart. Joe counted himself lucky that he even had Liam, he was sure the Angels had worked some form of magic, because Liam had been better after an agonizingly long surgery that had lasted nine hours, in which time Joe and Kayley had met Jack, Tim, Louise and Sammy who were at the hospital visiting an elderly relative of Jack's, who was suffering from a diabetic coma.

As he held Liam, he glanced at the Angel ornament that was on the fireplace. It has been given to him by Jack's mother as a birthday present for his nineteenth in April. She had called it a 'Guardian Angel', it was said to look after him in the rough times and the good.

"You know something, little one?" Joe murmured to his little boy "I reckon it's time we sent the presents off with the angels. So that Santa can deliver them tonight for everyone to open tomorrow."

Liam giggled and bouncing slightly, he reached his arms around his daddy's neck and Joe picked him up. Walking to the Christmas tree, he placed the presents there and smiled at Liam, "Now why don't you go and play with Mr. Woobsey and I'll give the presents to the angels."

Liam Hardy watched silently as one by one the angels took the presents from behind the golden curtain. Once they where all gone, Joe smiled at him.

Joe smiled as he placed the Christmas presents behind golden curtain that was covering the bottom of the tree. Putting the presents there ensured that Liam could enjoy the thought, that the Angles, Santa, the reindeers and the elves would bring the Christmas to life tomorrow, but most of all Joe hoped that Liam could eventually understand, another type of magic…family.

Later, Liam was in bed, his dreams filled with angels all dressed in white and a man, all in red except for his beard that was white. He wondered briefly, if these were the angels his daddy spoke about.


	2. Chapter 2 i wish you a merry christmas

Kellie Moonlight What Christmas means to me Chapter 2 

Kelly. 2- I wish you a Merry Christmas, baby.

Joe Hardy brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes as he awoke in the early morning sun, which was reflecting of the pure white snow on the rooftops outside.

Smiling, he rolled over and was met by a pair of brown eyes. "Merry Christmas, Kay" he mumbled

"Merry Christmas, baby." Kayley grinned as she leaned in to kiss him. "Our baby's first Christmas" she grinned excitedly.

"Sheesh, it only seems like yesterday he was born." Joe laughed as he too shared Kayley's excitement.

"Yeah I know, and he's come on in leaps and bounds after the operation." Kayley smiled

"Definitely. He tried to walk yesterday but got scared and decided against it."

Kayley laughed, for the past few days Liam had been grabbing onto furniture and inching along, but not letting go and walking off on his own. Smiling she leaned into Joe and gave him another kiss and she reached over to grab the cell as it vibrated and rang out.

"Merry Christmas," she called to Louise down the phone as she glanced at caller ID

"He asked me to marry him," Louise hollered down the phone in greeting.

"He what!!" Kayley shouted back.

"Tim asked me to marry him and I said yes" Louise squealed. "Jack and Sammy already know because they're here...hey are you two out of bed yet, its 7:30?"

Kayley laughed as she watched Joe return with a highly excited ten-month-old child in his arms--after all, it wasn't every day Liam saw mounds of paper ready to be ripped open.

"Yeah, we're up, Liam just woke us up, he's like our personalized alarm clock." Kayley laughed as she watched Joe hand their son his first present. Liam ripped the paper and let the present, a little storybook fall to the bed as he found the wrapping paper more interesting. But once Joe showed him the book, his eyes became fixed on all the colours that were on it--the book was "Three little pigs".

Later on, once all the presents were opened Joe vanished into his and Kayley's bedroom to retrieve a present he had forgotten to give to Kayley. Picking up the small box, he walked back out and saw Kayley dressed in blue faded jeans and a red sequined top he'd got her for Christmas, along with the necklace…he had a ring in his hand.

"Kay?" he asked

"Yeah?"

"Come here, I forgot a present for you."

"Forgot, Joe I think you spoiled me enough this year."

"Yeah, but this is something extra special." 

Nervously, Kayley approached Joe, "What?"

"Kayley, babe, I know we've only been together near enough two years but even that doesn't seem long enough, I'm not asking you to marry me yet, what I want to give you is this…" Joe pulled out a ring--it had a large blue sapphire in the centre and was surrounded by tiny diamonds, on a silver band. "It's called a promise ring, I'm asking you to take this ring with the promise, that when the time is right, I'll ask you to marry me, will you take it?"

Kayley smiled though her tears "Yes, oh yes Joe."

Joe smiled and slipped the ring onto her right hand. He leaned over to kiss her as Liam crawled over and tugged on his daddy's leg; the little boy loved giving hugs.

Joe picked up the small child and pulled his tiny family close. He kissed Liam's forehead as lyrics from an old Christmas song came to pass over them from a radio on the counter.

Sometime later, Joe and Kayley entered Tim and Louise's apartment, Kayley carried 3 bags and Joe carried a highly excited baby on his hip.

"Well, look, who it is," Tim shouted.

"It's the princess and the porter," Jack grinned.

"Stuff off," Joe grinned back as he set Liam on the floor so he could explore.

"Merry Christmas," Louise called as she ran to Joe and hugged him hard.

"Merry Christmas, Lou, Sammy, Jack and Tim, oh and congratulations Tim and Lou," Joe said as he hugged them all.

"Thanks" Tim smiled at Joe and shot him a wink; Jack quickly glanced at Kayley's right hand and smiled when he saw the ring there. "So I take it Kay liked the ring"

"Yeah, she told me that I spoiled her" Joe grinned

"True, but at least she can't complain." Jack grinned, he and Sammy had been engaged for over a year but they wanted to wait to get married.

Joe felt a tugging on his jeans leg and glanced down., "Hey lil' man, what's up?" he smiled as he picked up his son. Liam just rested his head on his daddy's shoulder and continued to watch the falling snow outside.

"He's growing more by the day, isn't he?" Jack smiled as he planted a light kiss on Liam's forehead.

"In more ways than one." Kayley grinned back at him.

"What do you mean?" asked Tim

"Well, he's becoming more independent and he's gaining height, he's also gaining a personality that has 'Hardy' written all over it" said Kayley.

Laughing, Joe rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement. "I have to agree, he's got a thing about anything 'suspicious' like a table mat on the floor or something."

The rest of the gang laughed as they headed towards the dining room to eat.

Over dinner, conversation was merry, they discussed plans for 'Everything you need'--an organisation Joe, Jack and Tim hoped to set up one day, Tim and Louise's wedding plans as well and Jack and Sammy's. They also discussed if Joe and Kayley would ever get married and have more children.

Joe raised his glass of lemonade and proposed a toast. "To family, to friends, Merry Christmas and happy New Year."

The sentiment was echoed as they all clinked glasses; Joe smiled at Kayley "Merry Christmas, baby"


	3. Chapter 3 i see your smiling face

Kellie Moonlight What Christmas means to me Chapter 3 

Kelly. 3- When I see your smiling face

Thirteen-year-old Liam Hardy grabbed James, his three-year-old brother, into a hug. It was their first Christmas in Bayport.

In July, Liam and his cousin Sam had been kidnapped by a Russian part of a huge terrorist gang, who called themselves 'Assassins'. Liam had had his nose broken, when they had tried to escape on their own. Liam's nose showed no sign of the incident and the only way you would know now was by the infrequent nightmares Liam and Sam had.

During the rescue, Joe, had been critically hurt and had nearly died, but once again he proved he was a fighter.

Liam grinned, as he started to tickle James, James had turned three in October, but he was still a baby in his older sibling's eyes.

James would always be the baby of the family; he was the youngest and the only child to have looks inherited from both sides of the family.

Kayley smiled as she watched Liam tickle James and she laughed lightly when Katie joined in the 'attack'. The family where waiting for the rest of the families to show up; Joe and Kayley had decided that since it was their first Christmas back in Bayport they would have everyone round for Christmas day, so joining them were: Frank, Callie, Sam, Natalie, Jenni, Sophie, Fenton, Laura, Aunt Gertrude, Jason Michaels and Callie's parents, David and Yvonne Shaw.

Jason or Jay, as he preferred was Aunt Gertrude's 'special friend', they had met in the thirteen years that Joe and Kayley had been missing, and the older couple had become inseparable. They where planning to marry and adopt a child in a few months' time-- a teenager or elder child.

The first to arrive were Fenton, Laura and David and Yvonne. "Merry Christmas!" they called from the hall, Kayley, smiled and hugged each in turn. "Merry Christmas," came the call from the family room, as Joe came out the kitchen with a tea towel and oven mitts. He too hugged each person, as they passed, and then the kids all greeted their newfound relatives. Next, came Gertrude and Jason and finally, Frank, Callie and their children. Once greetings were exchanged and everyone's coats hung up, everyone settled down to have a drink before dinner. That was when Kayley told everyone Joe was cooking, she assured them that he had picked up a few things over the years, and that she was "supervising".

Liam grinned as Katie, Natalie, Sophie and Jenni played 'Cluedo' with Laura and Fenton, it seemed an unfair advantage having a private investigator playing a game like 'Cluedo' but the kids wanted a challenge, to make it fair, Frank was helping the younger kids and Joe helped Natalie and Katie when they asked him for help. Liam, Sam, Kayley, Gertrude, Jason and Mr and Mrs Shaw where playing 'Scene it'.

James bounded excitedly over to Joe. James being the youngest of their kids was closest to Kayley, but as he got older he seemed to be developing an equally close relationship with his dad. Joe glanced at him and scooped him up, "What's up, little man?"

"Story daddy, please…" James asked his eyes pleading.

"Okay, baby, you go get a story and we'll read."

"Thank you daddy." James smiled and gave Joe a kiss.

A few minutes later, James scrambled up beside Joe with a book, the story was a Christmas one that Fenton and Laura had bought him called "The Night before Christmas".

Cuddling up into Joe's chest, James let Joe's voice wash over him in a way so soothing he found himself drifting of to sleep. When he awoke a few hours later, he was still tucked safely in his father's embrace, looking up into Joe's face he giggled when Joe looked at him and stuck his tongue out.

James sat up, glancing around the room and was amazed at the amount of games that has been used in his nap.

"Look who's finally awake." Liam smiled at James as he took him from his dad and sat him on his knee.

Joe, his body cramped after being in the same position for two hours, got up and walked around trying to loosen the kinks in his muscles.

Kayley came out the kitchen and handed him a J2O, these where a form of a non-alcoholic fruit drink that bars served and where available in superstores.

Placing the bottle on the table, Joe pulled Kayley into his arms and kissed her forehead. "How are you? We've barely spoken all day."

"I'm okay; actually feel pretty good, you know first Christmas here and all".

Both Kayley and Joe knew that they were happy with there families they way they where, they didn't feel the need to change anything. They where waiting to see if any of the kids would remember that they had promised to tell that Jack and Louise where having another child.

"Hey," Liam called as he suddenly remembered something.

"What's that Lee?" Joe asked with a smile.

"You said you'd tell us if Jack and Louise where able to have another baby! You haven't told us yet." Katie smiled at her brother.

"Ohh?" Laura asked.

"We did, but we only found out this morning ourselves!" said Joe.

Frank grinned and he asked, "Well? Can they?"

Kayley looked at Joe and they both smiled "Yes…and they're having a girl," Kayley said, beaming.

Cheers erupted around, as they celebrated for Jack and Louise.

Liam sat in the kitchen on his own, about 7:30pm, he had had some rather disturbing thoughts and had moved to the kitchen to sort them out, however it seemed another talk with his dad was looming.

"Liam, what's wrong?" Joe knelt in front of his first-born child and looked at him with concern.

"I didn't think you'd be here for Christmas," Liam said with a sad smile. "After you getting shot and then what happened in July, I just didn't think you'd be here."

"I'll admit, Lee, I think I'm lucky to be here today myself, but I'm glad I am."

"I know, I'm glad you are, too."

"Lee, what else is wrong, you've brightened a bit but since…well for a few years around Christmas you get all, contemplative."

"I guess it started when I was eight, you know…that time when you didn't think you'd be home for Christmas?"


	4. Chapter 4 what christmas means to me

Kellie Moonlight What Christmas means to me Chapter 1 

Kelly. 4- What Christmas means to me

"I remember that year, EYN had just been asked to go to Africa and give the people there a chance of a Christmas" Joe replied.

"Well, Katie and I asked Mom if it was because you where ill, or you'd been hurt. She told us no, just that you couldn't be home, yet the next morning you where there, tired and looking a bit worse for wear, but you were there. Mom had seemed angry the night before, and she never spoke, so I always wondered what you where doing and how you got home that year. I guess I think about it more around Christmas time," Liam said, his eyes reflecting the hurt, at the thought of his dad not being home for Christmas.

"Yeah, that's the year your mom and I had our 'rough patch', we'd been married three years and things where a bit, well shall I say stressful?" Joe replied as he looked at his son.

"What where you doing that year, Dad? I can only remember that you went to Nairobi, Kenya, in Africa."

"Well, you see, Lee, around that area, some of the villages are poverty stricken. We stayed in Kenya, Nairobi but we travelled a lot. We went to different parts of Kenya and tried to give them a Christmas they wouldn't forget."

Joe took a deep breath. "We dressed as Santa and provided presents and a decent meal, we played games and sang songs, it gave them a chance to have fun. But we only had a limited time, we thought that we might end up staying on Christmas day, but we met the hours on Christmas Eve Morning, at midnight, we set off, we got to the airport and on a stop-over flight to Amsterdam, and then a three hour stop-over and then a flight to Virginia, it was nineteen hours total. To this day, we continue to send funds to help support them."

Joe cleared his throat. "We hit Virginia at 7am Christmas day and then I got to our house about 8am that same day, I'd been in several different time zones and I was tired, but all that mattered to me, was that I was home for Christmas, only just…but home" Joe said, as he spoke his eyes drifted to look around the house, finally they came to rest on Liam.

"A lot of the time, we take for granted the family and the friends we have, when I was your age if someone had asked me what I thought of a Christmas, I would have said the presents and snow, but now I think back to Nairobi and the people there, they don't get presents, but to them, family is what counts at Christmas, and now I know they are right, presents and snow are nothing if you don't have family and friends to share them with."

"So the people in Africa, they don't have anything?" Liam asked.

"Well, some parts of Africa are rich, but there are some parts that aren't so lucky. They have small things, a little wooden hut, and one tomato to serve four growing children for one day. That's just an example of what it can be like," Joe said

"Dad…what does Christmas mean to you…now that you're older?"

"Christmas can mean many things, traditionally, we all think of a man dressed in red who rides a sleigh pulled by reindeers and climbs down chimneys to give presents…while this is a story we give children, I also now that while this Santa, or Father Christmas doesn't exist in a physical form, he is around, and he doesn't necessarily just give us gifts on Christmas either…he gives us gifts every day."

"What do you mean?" Liam asked, he had a feeling but he wasn't sure.

"Family, Lee, children, partners, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sibling, even the pet and friends, they are what Christmas means to me, I could go on and never get anything for Christmas because I've got everything I need, right here, you, your brother and sister, you mother, and our whole extended family. When I built EYN I wanted the name to say what we provide, and we do 'Everything you need" but we also point out that 'everything you need' is actually in your own backyard. Family. Friends."

Liam saw the tear in his dad's eyes before he felt his own, knowing that his dad probably had realised years ago that family was all that mattered. Liam leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his dads neck, it was something that they hadn't done, unless Liam had a nightmare and while they were comforting they never actually spoke "I love you" unlike this one which spoke volumes.

"I love you, Dad." Liam choked out as his tears came faster and he clung to his dad tighter, the emotions that he had been holding in since July came faster than ever.

"I love you too, baby, more than words can say," Joe replied, as he thought about it, he and Liam didn't say "I love you" often but when they did, it meant a lot to both of them. Joe realised as he held Liam that Liam had never gotten over the events in June and July "Let it out baby, it doesn't do you any good to keep these emotions bottled up".

About half an hour later, both Joe and Liam where able to calm themselves down. Liam spoke quietly, not wanting to destroy the peace that has settled over them. "Thank you, I think I needed that."

Joe smiled at him "I think we both did."

"Yeah. Hey, Dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"I think I understand Christmas a bit more now, while the presents and that are nice, sometimes the greatest gift of all is family and friends, and even if some members aren't here physically, they're with us in our hearts."

"Very true. Liam, very true"

"Hey, Dad," Liam said as he sat next to his father.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks" Liam smiled as he hugged him.

"You're welcome."

Joe turned to look out the window at the falling snow and glanced up at the stars…and silently if he listened he could hear voices from the Christmas past…and angels and a little child spoke about the true meanings of Christmas.

Years later Liam would always remember the conversation with his father, he would always remember the way he and his father had become even closer after that talk, the way his father had helped him after he had decided he wanted to work in EYN and help people the way his father did, how even now as Liam spoke to his own child, the same way his dad had spoken to him. In many ways Liam had learned more about his dad in that one conversation than he ever had in his entire life.

So when his own child asked him what Christmas meant to him, he was able to give an answer that even his wife smiled at, Family and Friends, knowing that somewhere out in the world people didn't get presents made Liam realise just how lucky he was, so every time around Christmas when EYN raised money to help the poverty stricken countries, Liam made sure to put his own talents to use--he sang.

Singing had been a talent he had picked up from his dad, something that was unique to the two of them, like Katie could dance like her mother and James and Jenni could solve crimes like their grandfather…well solving crimes came naturally as if your last name was Hardy.

Singing at the charity events with his dad and few other members of EYN who sang as well, raised money in different ways, 70 of the money went towards aiding poverty-stricken countries, while the other 30 went to supporting the charity and keeping it going, after all it was a "world wide" charity now, not just 'nation wide'.

THE END

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!


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